By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Chairman of the Implementation Committee for the 21-Mawprem Constituency and former Minister, Manas Chaudhuri, on Monday rubbished the allegations leveled against the committee by the Greater Laban Community Development Society (GLCDS) on misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 1.34 crore.
“These allegations are unfounded and politically motivated which is targeted only to tarnish my image in the public arena,” Chaudhuri, the former Mawprem legislator, told newspersons on Monday.
Defending his claims, Chaudhuri said in the eight years that he spent as an elected representative, he had always tried to be transparent and accountable claiming that the Rs 8 crore, being the fund for the MLA scheme in eight years, has been utilized in the cause of public interest, detailed account of which been made public in the form of books and reports.
Recently, the GLCDS had lodged an FIR demanding legal action against members of the Implementation Committee for 21-Mawprem Constituency for alleged misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 1.34 crore.
“When I have spent even my salary for public interest, why would I use the public money for my own benefits?” Chaudhuri questioned, adding that the allegations leveled against him had sprung from criminal minds with ulterior motive. Countering the complaint letter sent to the Urban Affairs department accusing him of being involved in corrupt practices, Chaudhuri stated that he had sent a letter to the department along with all the records and proofs of the money spent and works undertaken by the Committee.
“Let the Urban Affairs department enquire into this matter and if I am proven guilty then I accept my punishment but if I am not guilty, then my name should be cleared,” he asserted.
Chaudhuri also stated that he is the first MLA to have returned unspent fund to the tune of almost Rs 15 lakh to the State Legislative Assembly.
“I am not guilty of any misdeeds. There could be lapses here and there but that could happen to anyone but to say that I have misappropriate public money knowingly and purposely is totally untrue,” he added.
The former legislator was of the view that all the 60 MLAs in the State should be directed to refund the unspent amount to the Assembly and to make their schemes public with an accurate report on the amount spent for every construction work or initiatives undertaken for public assets to ensure transparency and accountability.
Terming the GLCDS as a ‘political-motivated organization’, Chaudhuri said that he is awaiting a clean chit from the Urban Affairs department first, after which, he would be in a position to act on the allegation, which could also mean a defamation case against the GLCDS.